


Missing Him

by hope27



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Ficlet, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-28 22:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3872527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hope27/pseuds/hope27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during 3x21 - While at Lyla and Digg's house for dinner, Felicity has important conversations with both Diggle and Thea about Oliver and where they go from here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missing Him

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey everyone! I wrote this before the episode aired after seeing the promo pictures. I really wanted some bonding time between both Felicity and Thea and Felicity and Diggle. I do love that we got a bit of that on the actual show as well!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! As always, I love to know what you think! Thanks for all your support!

Felicity stood at the window in John and Lyla’s apartment, cradling a gurgling baby Sara in her arms.

They’d finished dinner a few minutes before, Felicity immediately standing to help Lyla clear the table, but she’d simply shaken her head before scooping Sara out of her high chair and plopping her in Felicity’s arms with a knowing look. 

“I’ve got it this time,” she’d stated softly, with a knowing smile and tilted her head towards the living room area, “I think Sara could use some time with her favorite aunt.”

Felicity had given Lyla a trembling smile and nodded, holding Sara close as the little girl lifter her small hands and wrapped them around one of Felicity’s fingers, giggling.

She’d heard Thea offer to help Lyla before focusing all her attention on the sweet girl in her arms.

A deep ache had settled in her chest over the last three weeks, ever since she’d had to leave Oliver in Nanda Parbat. It was losing him all over again, only this time, it was worse. 

Because he was out there. Alive. And she couldn’t be with him. 

Her eyes fluttered closed, the familiar press of tears causing her to swallow thickly. 

Sara’s small hand landed on her cheek, and she inhaled sharply, her eyes opening to land on the small child in her arms. Big brown eyes stared back at her, a frown creasing her forehead as if sensing something was wrong. She saw the trembling of her lower lip and put on a wavering smile as she leaned down, her forehead touching Sara’s.

“Hey sweet girl,” she whispered, her eyes lighting as Felicity brushed her nose against hers.

A small giggle filled the room when Felicity repeated the motion and the vice around her heart lessened for a brief moment.

Felicity felt Diggle’s presence before he spoke, her eyes never leaving Sara’s face as the girl continued to reach for Felcity’s cheeks.

“It’s good to see you smile,” he finally said, moving into view and Felicity let out a soft sigh, turning towards him.

The concern in her his gaze pulled at the deep ache inside her and she swallowed thickly, smiling at him softly as a sheen of fresh tears blurred her vision before she quickly blinked them away.

“I miss him,” she confessed a moment later. “I miss him so much, John.”

Digg sighed knowingly, and took two more steps until he was right beside her, his arm coming around to rest on her shoulder as she leaned into him. “Me too.”

There was silence for a long time, both of them watching as Sara began to play with the bracelet around Felicity’s left wrist.

“You know the night Sara was born, I remember Oliver walking into the room,” Diggle began quietly, his deep voice soothing to her frayed emotions. 

Felicity swallowed against the lump in her throat, waiting for John to continue, wanting to hear the rest of his story, remembering her own version of that night and wanting a different perspective.

“You were already there, standing next to Lyla, looking at Sara,” he said, reaching out to soothe a hand over his daughter’s hair. “He saw you and, Felicity, I’d never seen that look on his face before…”

She frowned, her heart speeding up in her chest, “What do you mean?”

“He wanted that,” he told her, “He wanted a future. I’ve seen men go into battle with that longing in their eyes, a determination to do whatever they could to get back to the life they had or the one they wanted to start. Oliver wanted a future, Felicity...with you. He still wants that.”

The breath caught in her throat, and she felt the tears begin to fall before she could stop them as she pressed her eyes shut. “John…”

She felt him pull her close, pressing a kiss against her temple. “He’s going to fight for that, Felicity. He’s going to keep fighting for that…Oliver is a stubborn man, and once he decides he wants something, he’s not going to give up on it. He doesn’t give up on the people he loves.”

Felicity swallowed hard, nodding, taking a deep breath and remembering Oliver’s parting words to her. “Then let’s not say goodbye this time.”

“He wouldn’t say goodbye,” she whispered hoarsely. 

“Then hold on to that too,” he told her before placing one more kiss to her hair before pulling back.

Sara continued to play with the bracelet on felicity’s arm, entranced by the shiny parts that seemed to shimmer in the soft glow of the city lights that illuminated the darkened corner of the apartment.

A moment later, she heard Lyla call for Digg, and she found herself alone again.

Turning around, she walked over to the couch and sat down, situating Sara in her lap, bouncing her gently on her knees, making her giggle, Felicity’s lips twitching upwards at the joyful sound.

A few minutes later, the couch shifted next to her and she looked sideways to see Thea watching her and Sara, a sad expression on her face.

Sara reached a hand out to Thea and the younger woman couldn’t help but smile as she offered the small girl her finger which she latched onto with a firm grip.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I heard the last part of your conversation with Diggle,” Thea said after a few seconds of silence. “And I wanted you to know that I’ve never seen my brother look at anyone the way he looks at you…and I wanted to thank you for being there for him - for loving him...” 

“Oh,” Felicity breathed, images of their last night together blossoming in her head and she felt the heat rushing to her cheeks. 

Thea smiled at her, chuckling under her breath, “When he first came back from the island, he was so distant, so different than the brother that had left...I begged him to open up to someone, to let someone in…”

Felicity swallowed but stayed silent, listening as she shifted Sara in her arms.

“He couldn’t do it, and I was so angry at him for shutting everyone out...” she continued. “I didn’t understand why.”

Felicity began to say something but Thea shook her head. “He had to try so hard with everyone else. It was hard to let people see him, but I don’t think it was that way with you.”

“Thea…” her voice broke.

She cut her off with a shake of her head, “You helped him and I will forever be grateful to you for that…"

There was a moment before Thea's voice broke as she whispered, "l miss him so much, Felicity...he’s the only family I have left…”

Felicity nodded in understanding, and swallowed, reaching out a hand and finding Thea’s, clasping it tight, a determination lighting in her after listening to both Thea and Diggle’s words. Oliver had never given up on finding her whenever she’d been in danger; he’d never given up on making sure that his family and the people he loved were safe, and they wouldn’t give up on him. 

“We’re going to get him back, Thea. We are…”

When Thea met her gaze, she saw the spark of fire in the younger Queen’s gaze and smiled, nodding her head, a silent promise forged in that moment to do whatever it took to get him back to both of them; to his family and his future.


End file.
